Help on Recipe!

[kjjohns5]

Hey guys! So I'm brewing my first AG batch today, but I've been looking ahead at my next endeavor. I wanted to build a recipe for a beer that was dark in color, but not heavy in body and mouth-feel. I really wanted good head retention and lacing as well. I want to smell malt with a mingling of hop aroma. Hoping to hit about 50 IBUs, using some "C" hops (I love them). I wanted the taste to be aware of the hops, but the primary distinction would be malt, but not burnt or too sweet. Also, I didn't really want killer alcohol. Somewhere around 5.5-5.8%.

Over the last several days, I've been researching many malts that I've never used before. Since I'm a novice on all of this, I was hoping you experienced gurus could assist me in this task.

This is what I've come up with for a BJCP classed: Strong Bitter

9.25 lbs 2 Row (77.1%)
1.00 lbs Aromatic (8.3%)
0.75 lbs Munich 10L (6.3%) - added for malt taste
0.50 lbs White Wheat (4.2%) - added for head retention/lacing and mouth-feel
0.50 lbs Crystal 120L (4.2%) - added for malt taste but to bring extra caramel to counter-act the dull malt of the munic; color

0.5 oz Columbus (14%) 60 min
0.5 oz Chinook (13.6%) 50 min
1.0 oz Cascade (5.2%) 5 min

In a quick online calculator, I was given these stats:
OG: 1.059
FG: 1.015
IBU: 50
ABV: 5.7%
SRM: 12

From those numbers, I've hit my mark on basically everything (although I wouldn't mind darker ). But I do know that those numbers are clearly not everything. You guys are more experience than I am, so can you help out on telling me what I should or shouldn't do? Thanks!!!!

 

[kjjohns5]

Bump, yet also an update on the recipe. Now that I've finally discovered the epic malt that is Carafa III, I can drop that 120L that was bothering me and get that nice, stoutish-dark that I want this bad boy to be!

8.50 lbs 2 Row (70.8%)
1.00 lbs Aromatic (8.3%)
0.75 lbs Munich 10L (6.3%)
0.75 lbs Crystal 60L (6.3%)
0.50 lbs Carafa III (4.2%)
0.50 lbs White Wheat (4.2%)

0.5 oz Columbus (14%) 60 min
0.5 oz Chinook (13.6%) 50 min
1.0 oz Cascade (5.2%) 5 min

OG: 1.059
FG: 1.015
IBU: 53
ABV: 5.7%
SRM: 28

 

[Chipman]

Hmmm looks like you need to back off the hops bigtime if you want the maltiness to be forward for this beer. Dryhopping will help you get some more hoppy aroma and flavor while still keeping the maltiness.

Check out the Gravity to Hops ratio chart that Bugeaterbrewery put up on here, looks interesting for a starting point. http://www.brewsupplies.com/hops-gravity.htm. Try it out though as long as you like the brew it's good right

 

[944play]

Your recipe reads sorta like an American sticke alt.

Remember that there are two classifications of Carafa: regular and Special. Special is dehusked and will not contribute as much coffee/unsweetened chocolate bitterness or astringency.

 

[KAMMEE]

If you want to really bump up the SRM with some increased maltiness you could try adding some roasted barley.

 

[kjjohns5]

Hmmm looks like you need to back off the hops bigtime if you want the maltiness to be forward for this beer. Dryhopping will help you get some more hoppy aroma and flavor while still keeping the maltiness.

Check out the Gravity to Hops ratio chart that Bugeaterbrewery put up on here, looks interesting for a starting point. http://www.brewsupplies.com/hops-gravity.htm. Try it out though as long as you like the brew it's good right

Thanks for the chart! I've come across that before, before I started brewing but it must have slipped my mind. The issue is that I LOVE hoppy beers. So what's hoppy to most people, is hardly ever hoppy to me. I find beers that are in the 130 IBU range super easy to drink, but you're right, if what I'm going for is hop flavor but not overkill, I should tone it back. Thanks!

944play, I was shooting for the special. I don't want that coffee/chocolate bitterness. I really only added it for the SRM contribution.

 

[pkeeler]

You might want to look at recipes for Robust Porters, especially American versions. That does seem to be what you are making. With all that roasted and caramel malt, I doubt you need the wheat for head retention. You might consider using more Munich in place of the Wheat. There are now dark wheat malts too, as a completely different path.